My Catastrophic‑Level Summon Devours Gates - Chapter 5

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 5

I dragged my Carrier up the small mountain near my Studio Apartment.

I arrived at the outdoor gym that overlooked the neighborhood.

The moment I reassembled the arms, legs, and torso I had packed in the Carrier.

【If you’re going to dismember me, at least give me a heads up!】

Sir Isra let out a scream.

“Would it really make a difference if I told you?”

【I could at least prepare myself mentally.】

Isn’t that no different from the dental clinic telling you to say “ah” when it hurts?

Still.

I’m a kind master, so I’ll accommodate you.

“From next time, I’ll tell you beforehand and then separate you.”

【If possible, I’d prefer you not separate this person—no, this undead at all.】

That would be a bit difficult.

If I walked around the city with an undead, I wouldn’t hear anything good.

Whether I get into arguments with police who come after receiving reports.

Or get penalty points from the Rift Management Bureau.

Neither would be a particularly good story.

【I swear by chivalry that I would never attack the living!】

“I believe you, you know? But I’m not sure if other people would.”

【What a world we live in. A society that won’t believe even when a knight stakes everything on his word.】

Could you not judge by the standards of the land you used to live in?

The elderly people who were exercising glanced my way, then went back to what they were doing.

【There are living people here too.】

“They’ve adapted, so it’s fine.”

The people who come to the outdoor gym are always the same regulars.

When I first started training Undead Control, I got quite a lot of dirty looks.

I can’t even count how many bottles of Bacchus I bought to ask for their understanding.

It took a long time to get them to the point where they just accepted it.

Enough small talk.

Let’s get to the main point.

“Teach me Imperial Swordsmanship.”

【I’ll warn you in advance—my teaching will be harsh.】

“That’s fine.”

Five years of waiting.

A method to improve my Undead Control ability had finally appeared.

Any kind of training is fine.

If this cursed body can get better!

【Since you’ve inherited the Heavenly Martial Body, your motor skills should have improved.】

“If I was going to be satisfied with just that, I wouldn’t have asked you to train me.”

【Good. If you’re prepared, then I can work you hard without hesitation.】

Sir Isra threw a white bone.

I unconsciously reached out my hand toward the flying bone.

“Huh?”

It smoothly landed in my palm.

Normally I would have fumbled around and dropped it or barely caught it.

Is this the Heavenly Martial Body?

【What are you so surprised about?】

“You wouldn’t know, Sir.”

The humiliation of tripping over my own legs while chasing a soccer ball.

Sob sob.

Who knew that easily catching a flying bone would be this moving.

【Stop being so pathetic.】

Tch.

He won’t even give me time to get sentimental.

“What do we do now?”

【Shape the bone like a sword.】

“Got it.”

Scrape— scrape—.

While I carved the bone with the carving knife.

Sir Isra picked up a long stick nearby.

【Watch carefully.】

The tip of a tree branch pointing toward the sky.

I took the same stance as Sir Isra with the bone gripped in both hands.

Whoosh!

The stick fell downward in a perfect straight line without any wavering.

Chilling.

Cold sweat ran down my spine from the chilling aura contained in the sword.

How did he manage such a movement with a stiff zombie body?

【Swing it the way I did.】

Whoosh!

The long bone cuts through the air.

“I did it.”

【Again.】

“?”

【Do it again.】

Whoosh―!

【Again.】

After repeating it ten times like that, my forearms were tingling.

【Hmmmm.】

Sir Isra let out a groan with a displeased expression.

“I’m doing it just like you showed me though?”

【Since I’m swinging the sword to match this body, it doesn’t seem to suit you.】

I couldn’t tell what the difference was, so I stayed quiet.

Sir Isra stroked his chin.

【I’ll use a somewhat aggressive method.】

Whoooosh!

Right after I swung the bone for the eleventh time.

The tree branch struck my shoulder and leg with a thwack.

Damn it.

So the aggressive method was learning through physical force.

A groan escaped me― ugh.

【Too much tension in your shoulders. Why are you relaxing your legs?】

“Do I need to put strength in my legs too?”

【What supports your upper body is your lower body.】

I swung the sword, no, the bone again, paying attention to the parts he pointed out.

Thwack, the stick struck my arm and waist.

“Ugh.”

【When your pelvis twists while swinging the sword, your center of gravity shifts as well.】

How much more beating did I take after that?

Thwack! Crack!

My whole body aches.

Arms, thighs, shoulders, pelvis, sides, and so on.

There wasn’t a place that hadn’t been hit.

But it was really strange.

As I got beaten up, there was something I could feel.

Though it wasn’t clear.

Should I say that the more I swung the bone, the more I could feel something?

Around the time I had forgotten how many times I’d swung it.

[Skill – Imperial Swordsmanship has been registered.]

[Strength increases by 2.]

[Agility increases by 1.]

[Stamina increases by 1.]

[Imperial Swordsmanship]

Type: Physical Technique

Grade: A

Classification: Passive

This is the orthodox swordsmanship passed down through the Arcturus Imperial Knights.

It has a high reputation as an excellent swordsmanship with well-balanced offense and defense, having no rough edges.

Understanding: 1%

A translucent window appeared along with the System Message.

【The Imperial Swordsmanship skill has been registered?】

“Huh. But why isn’t it the modified form.”

【Tsk tsk. You can’t even crawl yet you want to fly.】

“What’s with the crawling talk.”

【Isra Style is a swordsmanship I modified based on my own enlightenment.】

When you master Imperial Swordsmanship, which is the original form.

You can learn Isra Style, which is a modified technique and superior skill.

【Hmm indeed. I’m starting to understand my senior’s feelings a bit.】

Why are you bringing up your senior’s feelings here.

【You learned the essence of Imperial Swordsmanship 1st Form in just a few hours, how could I not be surprised!】

Imperial Swordsmanship was registered because I grasped the ‘essence’.

I knew there were various methods of skill transmission, but I never thought I’d experience it like this.

【I thought it would take several days.】

“Is it thanks to Heavenly Martial Body.”

【That might be part of it, but it’s also because you and I are connected spiritually.】

Sir Isra clattered his upper and lower teeth together, seeming quite indignant about something.

【It took me two whole days to perfectly execute the 1st Form!】

Ah.

So that was the point he was upset about.

I was dumbfounded.

I had noticed my improved motor skills when I caught the flying bone.

Even so.

To think my swordsmanship achievement was fast enough to upset a knight who claims to be the strongest on the Continent.

【You look like you don’t believe it.】

“I suppose so?”

【Try commanding the small zombie once more.】

Clatter―

I reassembled the mini-sized zombie contained in the carrier.

“Awaken.”

Along with the incantation, a dim light swirled in my pupils.

The zombie made from a goblin base looked up at me.

“Uuuuh.”

Let me see.

Something I could use as a sword substitute…

“Here’s one.”

I placed a tree branch in the zombie’s hand.

“Try demonstrating some swordsmanship.”

“Uuuuuh.”

With a deflating breath, the zombie swung the tree branch.

Whoosh!

My hair stood on end.

It was just a stick.

Yet it felt as eerie as a blade flying toward my neck.

It was similar to when Sir Isra had swung the tree branch.

Even though it was a mini-sized zombie that couldn’t even exert proper strength.

The sharpness contained in the sword strike hadn’t diminished.

“It’s more amazing that I can sense this.”

If it had been before I obtained the Heavenly Martial Body.

I would have thought the zombie was just doing pointless exercises.

【It’s thanks to you understanding the Imperial Swordsmanship 1st Form.】

Sir Isra’s thoughts flickered in my ears.

What if.

My understanding of swordsmanship improved.

And the number and quality of undead I command increased?

Imperial Swordsmanship, an A-rank skill.

And furthermore.

What if I learned the swordsmanship that Sir Isra, called the strongest on the Continent, had modified and created?

My undead would be hard-pressed to find worthy opponents.

“Gives me chills.”

I was definitely motivated now.

【The road ahead is long, so don’t become complacent.】

“Who said I was relaxing?”

I couldn’t be satisfied with just this much.

I had struggled for 5 years, desperately waiting for the day I could see sunlight.

This was a hard-won opportunity.

Did he think I’d let it go easily?

“I could do this all day long.”

【I hope that enthusiasm continues.】

Sir Isra contorted his cheek.

* * *

The next day.

“Haaaaam.”

I opened my eyes and stretched out fully.

What’s this?

My body feels incredibly refreshed.

Just before going to sleep, I was in pain like I was dying.

When I opened my eyes, all my fatigue was gone as if I’d returned to my elementary school days.

【It’s thanks to the Heavenly Martial Body.】

A sharp thought pierced my mind.

Sir Isra was standing beside the bed, looking down at me.

“Were you like that all night?”

【Protecting you is my duty.】

“From now on, shut off your senses and rest.”

【I’ll consider it.】

It’s not for your sake.

Having a zombie watching over me makes for bad dreams.

Still.

A grinning smile leaked out from the corner of my mouth.

【Why are you laughing?】

“Because it’s not a dream.”

Meeting a spirit from another world.

Escaping from being physically inept, which was like a curse.

And even learning A-rank swordsmanship.

I was worried that everything might be a dream when I opened my eyes.

But it was reality.

“Phew.”

【Laughing and then sighing. I don’t know which rhythm to follow.】

“Just stand there.”

How can you nitpick about a sigh of relief?

I activated the status window to check yesterday’s results.

[Imperial Swordsmanship]

[Proficiency – 3.1%]

[Strength : 51 → 56]

[Agility : 44 → 48]

[Stamina : 51 → 55]

[Endurance : 9 → 11]

The price obtained through equivalent exchange with pain.

The result of swinging the bone while getting beaten up by Isra.

The increase in melee-type stats was a bonus too.

“To think my ability scores would rise this much.”

Even looking at it again, I couldn’t believe it.

The total stat increase from training Imperial Swordsmanship was 15.

At E-rank, you get 5 bonus stats per level.

It was equivalent to gaining 3 levels.

【The growth rate will slow down gradually, so don’t get your hopes up too much.】

“The fact that stats are increasing at all is incredible, you know?”

There are generally two ways for hunters to increase their stats.

Leveling up.

Or Spirit Medicine.

If it became known that stats could increase just from sword training, it would cause an uproar.

【Will you be training Imperial Swordsmanship today as well?】

“No.”

Heavenly Martial Body.

And I had also learned Imperial Swordsmanship.

Since I had escaped from my cursed body.

Now it was time to return to my main profession and test how much stronger the undead had become.

“I’m going to conquer a Gate.”

【Ho.】

“Sir Isra, don’t interfere.”

【Will you be alright?】

“I need to do a performance test before the exam.”

The promotion exam is held on the 10th of every month.

Today is the 3rd.

Exactly one week left.

To check how much my Undead Control ability has grown.

Real combat is the best after all.

【Hahahaha. I’ll handle something like a promotion exam for you.】

“I have no intention of relying on Sir Isra.”

This damned connection that held me back for 5 years.

Breaking through with my own power would be more rewarding, wouldn’t it?

【I like your ambition.】

“I’m not doing this for your approval.”

This is my resolve.

As a hunter.

To overcome walls in order to become stronger.

The carving knife inscribed with Enhancement Formula.

Hammer and chisel.

I also packed other portable equipment.

【You look uncomfortable.】

“Can’t help it. If I want to create undead in the Gate.”

【What?】

“If I bring you along, there’s no room left, you know?”

To test my Undead Control ability.

Making them on the spot was the most efficient method.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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